A Changing Heart
by Marni.246
Summary: Tanya gets a chance to talk to Edward at his wedding. I do not own anything Twilight, slight language, and most of all - enjoy! Reviews are greatly appreciated!


I had attended weddings before, but never one this extravagant. Alice had surely outdone herself this time, and from what I had heard of Bella's nature, I naturally assumed she would have feelings of heightened nervous awareness mingled amongst the common wedding day jitters.

I walked around the edge of the dance floor, Kate shadowing me closely, and my eyes instantly jumped from person to person searching each face for the familiar features of Edward Cullen. Even now that he was married to the love of his life, picturing his face or hearing his voice still caused a riot of emotions to flow through me. My heart would skip a beat, had I a heart that could beat.

"Tanya," I heard Kate's whisper soft voice next to me, and turned to face her. She handed me a glass filled halfway with punch and smiled without humor. "This is not good for you."

Suppressing the urge to roll my eyes dramatically, I settled for a sigh. "I am well aware of that. I just can't seem to help myself. You know how I've always been about him."

Kate nodded thoughtfully, "The worst had to be when he came back for that week. I've never seen you try harder to seduce someone than you did him."

Any hint of a smile that had been about to cross my features vanished instantly. Concentrating hard on not squeezing the glass I held too tightly, I looked away from her as I said, "Yes, but he was already falling in love with Bella. He just hadn't realized exactly what his fascination was."

Kate looked away from me then, rolling her own glass between her thumb and forefinger. The movement was so subtle, and though not needed, it helped maintain that façade of being human. "Tanya, you cannot tell me you're feeling jealous right now."

I followed her gaze and my eyes quickly fell upon Edward and his beautiful new bride, Bella, who had taken to the center of the dance floor. As I watched, he leaned down and whispered into her ear, so low that I could barely catch what he said. Bella smiled at him anyway, whether she heard or not, and a faint pink blush appeared on her cheeks.

A certain calm, one that I had never felt before, washed over me, and I realized in that instant that as much as I lusted for Edward, what I felt couldn't hold a candle to what they felt for each other. I was okay with that. "No, I'm actually not."

I must not have been able to hide the surprise in my voice, because Kate's gaze quickly fell upon my face again. After a second of scrutiny, her lips formed a smile that slowly grew in size and she said happily, "I am very proud of you. Believe me."

I scowled at her and slowly moved the glass from my right hand to my left. Yet another thing humans did, and since there were so many attending, I was being extremely cautious. "You know," I started, eager to at least slightly alter the conversation, "I thought I behaved far worse when they lived in Denali. Don't you think?"

Kate laughed, a high-pitched tinkling noise, catching the attention of several young men nearby. "I'm sure Edward has relieved that kiss in his nightmares," she joked.

"Ha ha," I scowled once again, but her words pulled me away from reality and back to a time when there was one hunger I could still barely control….

_I was feeling frustrated beyond belief._

_Since this was not an emotion I normally felt, it increased my aggravation, and the combined feelings were beginning to anger me. How could he not return my feelings? Of all the men I had ever wanted, ever chased, they had all chased me back eagerly. Of course, that usually led to a rather steamy affair, but this was so very different._

_My eyes roamed the yard, searching through the many gathered vampires until I found my prey. My lips curved into a smug smile as I began to walk towards him._

_To my utter chagrin, he turned towards me, no doubt hearing my thoughts, and his eyes widened slightly. It was impossible to avoid detection with him, though I did try my best. I had kept my thoughts focused on other things while I searched for him. Maybe that was what tipped him off._

_I was surprised when he didn't try to leave, but I knew I shouldn't be – if anyone was a gentleman, it was surely Edward Cullen. I stopped before him, my smug smile turning into a very inviting one. "Hello, Edward," I crooned. _

"_Hello, Tanya." He returned coolly. His smile was purely a polite one._

_I was at a loss. How on earth did anyone stand talking to him? Not only could he hear every thought you had, but he could be frustratingly secretive._

"_I wouldn't say I'm being frustratingly secretive," Edward countered, answering my thoughts. "I am merely allowing you to work yourself up to your desired conversation." His smile became a smug one. Damn him._

_I scoffed at him, "Of course. How polite of you, Edward."_

"_I do what I can."_

_I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to remember what I had originally come to talk to him about. "Edward, I've become rather aware of something during the time your family has been here."_

_Edward raised an eyebrow at me, "What have you noticed?"_

"_How very alone you are." I chose my words carefully, trying my best to strike a nerve. It was only fair, really. He had struck so many of mine since the Cullens arrived in Denali._

_My reward was a slight clenching of his hand, which was even more than I could have hoped for. I moved closer to his side, staring at him, though he was no longer looking at me. _

"_Believe it or not, I know how that feels," I continued. My voice was sensual, and I lifted my hand up to gently rest on his shoulder._

_The brief second of real emotion I had seen from him was replaced with his cool front once more as he glanced at me and said in a teasing tone, "A succubus like you?"_

_I laughed lightly, keeping my thoughts to myself. I was determined to get what I wanted, and since that want was currently named Edward Cullen, I was going to do my damnedest. _

"_That was the least gentleman-like I think you've ever been."_

"_Forgive me if I was rude, Tanya."_

"_Not at all," I said softly. "Remember, I know what it's like, too." I began to trace figures on his shoulder with my hand._

_He didn't say anything, but I wasn't deterred. I moved in front of him and smiled up at him. He was much more of a challenge than the human men; they were too weak in their views and were easily corrupted. _

_Edward however, was a mental, emotional, and physical puzzle. He was the peak of a very tall mountain, and one which I wanted to conquer more than anything. Of course, the worst part of all was trying to be seductive while mentally listing every city or town found within Alaska as a method of keeping my true thoughts hidden._

"_You know, I'm all alone in my family as well," I attempted. "Carlisle has Esme, Alice has Jasper, and Rosalie has Emmett. That must be difficult for you."_

"_Not particularly," he said with a smile. I frowned. "Besides, you aren't alone. You have your sisters."_

"_You know what I mean," I told him, rolling my eyes. My frustration was unbeatable at this point in time._

"_Tanya, where are you taking this?"_

"_Edward, I think you know." I returned. _

_He raised his brow again, "I've been hoping that you would give this up, Tanya."_

_I was going to have to be forceful now. "We could be great together," I told him. "Haven't you ever thought about it? Even for just the slightest of seconds?"_

_He opened his mouth to respond, but said nothing. I smiled, once again smug. So he _had_ considered the thought of _us_ at least once. That was a very promising turn of events._

_I stepped closer, placing both of my hands lightly on his chest now. "I know you're wondering what it would be like right now. Aren't you tempted?"_

_I slid my hands slowly up to the back of his neck, careful not to let him know my plan until I had put it into action. "Think about what it would be like, Edward. Give in to it."_

_I felt him tense slightly and I knew I was about to lose my moment. With a split second's thought before, I leaned up and pressed my lips to his, kissing him as passionately as I knew how. The kind of kiss that left human men craving more._

_For the tiniest fraction of a second, he responded to the kiss. Or so it felt like. _

_He pulled back rather quickly and took a few steps away from me. "Tanya, I can't."_

"_Why not?" I asked. "You don't have a mate, Edward. I could be her."_

"_No." He said firmly. He wasn't forthcoming on the topic._

"_What if you're making a mistake?"_

"_I'm not."_

_I crossed my arms, trying to stay firm to my goal. If I couldn't be his mate, I wanted to know why. I wanted to know why he had turned me down; why he hadn't seemed interested in Irina or Kate; why he had pushed Rosalie away._

"_Why is no one good enough for you, Edward?"_

_He blinked, currently thrown off by my question. Pain seemed to radiate in his eyes, and suddenly I felt very different about what I was doing. I didn't want him any less – if anything it made me want him more – but in that moment I realized that it wasn't a personal vendetta against me or any of the other females in particular._

"_It is not about you being good enough for me, Tanya. I just don't see you in that light." He paused for a moment. "Yes, I have thought about you that way, but I can't be what you want. In my family there are three couples who are so perfectly matched in every way that I'm selfish enough to want the same fire and passion and love that each of them possesses."_

_I was at a loss for words. Edward had just bared a part of his soul to me, a part of what made him Edward Cullen. It just figured that the male every female fantasized about was the one who was doomed to want the happily-ever-after type of love. _

_I nodded thoughtfully. He was totally unattainable, which of course only added to his appeal. Damn it. "Thank you for telling me."_

"_I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way."_

"_It helps to understand where you're coming from," I told him honestly. I stepped forward a few steps and smiled coyly up at him. "I feel compelled to warn you though…while I understand totally what you mean, I'll still try to turn you."_

_He laughed lightly. "You wouldn't be Tanya if you didn't."_

"Have you returned yet?" Kate asked as I came back to the present.

I looked at the dance floor, but Bella and Edward were no longer there. I must have been reliving the memory for longer than I thought.

"Good evening ladies," a very familiar voice said from behind me.

Kate and I turned around to face none other than Edward himself. Kate smiled warmly, "Congratulations again, Edward. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go and congratulate Alice on the lovely decorations."

I smiled at Edward after Kate walked away, "Congratulations are in order." I raised my glass of punch in salute.

Edward smiled back, "Thank you."

"I can honestly say there was a time where I thought I would never be attending your wedding."

He put his hands in his pockets and his gaze drifted back to the dance floor where couples twirled harmoniously in time to the music. "Yes, I can see why."

I set the glass of punch on a nearby table before turning back to Edward. "Would it be completely out of line to give you a hug?"

"That would depend on your motives, Tanya." He replied, a hint of the same smile on his face.

"Purely honorable, for once." I told him, stepping forward to embrace him.

He laughed as he hugged me tightly, but I stepped back quickly, wanting to prove that I was telling the truth. He raised an eyebrow and teased, "I'm not used to you being so hospitable."

"Yes, it's strange when I'm not trying to seduce you, isn't it?"

He laughed, "A bit."

"I never thought I'd say this, but I've changed. Honestly." I grinned at his skeptical look.

"What made you change?" he asked.

I gestured to the dance floor, "Seeing you with Bella. It just finally clicked what you meant all those years ago."

"What I meant when?"

"You told me years ago that you wanted a mate with whom you were perfectly matched. You longed for the passion that the rest of your family has." I paused briefly, folding my arms lightly across my chest. "I understood what you meant then, but it never truly fit until I saw you with her. She is your perfect match, and I know now more than ever why you said we could never work."

Edward was staring at me with mixture of expressions that I couldn't seem to give a name to. He seemed to be trying to figure out whether to say something sarcastic or sincere. "If I'm not mistaken," he finally began, "you're trying to say you're happy for me?" He winked at me after that and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, something like that." I told him quickly.

"Thank you, Tanya." This time his words were absolutely sincere. My smile softened.

"You're welcome. I think you should get back to your wife, now. We'll have plenty of time to talk in the rest of eternity."

Edward walked up to me and placed a kiss on my cheek. "Enjoy the night, Tanya. It's good to see you again."

"You too," I told him. As he turned to walk away, I added, "You're still a pain in my ass."

Edward chuckled over his shoulder at me as he continued to walk away. I watched him for a few seconds before I turned back to face the dance floor, knowing in my heart that trying to fight for Edward's affections had always been a lost cause.

To be honest, no one in their right mind would even _want _to try to break Edward and Bella apart. I was glad I wasn't that woman anymore – at least not where he was concerned.

"See?" Kate said, reappearing at my side. "I told you there was a reason for me to be proud of you."

I rolled my eyes at her, "Honestly, you put too much faith in me, I think."

Kate laughed. "Maybe," she teased. "Come on; let's go find someone new for you to stalk." My sister winked at me in a joking way before taking my hand and tugging me along behind her, no doubt in an effort to find someone who could possibly live up to Edward. It was impossible, though. I would never find a more gentleman-like, frustratingly secretive male than Edward. And I was fine with that.


End file.
